Land of the Rising Sun – Family Travel 2023

    

 

It’s been 10 years since I last been to Japan! I got to do so many things I didn’t do last time. And as much as we did, there was still some things I wanted to do, but because of time constraint, it wasn’t possible. Guess we have to come back to Japan, again! This time I went with my family; my little brother and his husband, and his mom and sisters! It’s been such an amazing adventure…where do I even begin?! This will not be in chronological order because that requires too much brain power which I cannot conjure up based on my inadequate sleep due to time traveling. 🙂 Above, is the alley behind the rows of shops and row of lanterns leading to the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. It was really crowded near the entrance of the temple so we headed to the smaller temple on the side, where Kasey prayed to the Goddess of (origin I forgot, lol).

 

Our ryokan in Hakone! If I had to choose, this town is one of my favorite stays in Japan! A quaint idyllic town near the lake and view of the mountains. This is where we stay in a traditional Japanese inn, with tatami mats and slews of traditional Japanese food for dinner and breakfast! The setup and the intricate details for each dish was a work of art! Just when we thought it was the last round, more dishes came out! We also reserved a private onsen to take our 10:30 pm bath! I had to forced my roommate to stay awake to partake in this experience, lol. Especially difficult since we just had our impressively full dinner! 

   

Earlier that day, we were also very fortunate to witness an intimate geisha’s peformance…I  say intimate because it was just our group of 6, plus 3 geisha performers. One of the group members were handing out brochures, which I immediately disregarded because I’ve become so accustomed to unsolicited marketing. Luckily, Kasey, with his heart of gold likes to give people a benefit of a doubt, that we were able to have this authentic experience! The two geisha dancers were so amazing and personable. One of them knew a little bit of English so it was fun to converse with them. I believe one of them asked our age, and Kasey responded that it was a dangerous question and that immediately made everyone laughed. A punchline that transcends all culture. The third geisha performer is a singer/musician and she was also really good. She was playing a “string” instrument. They had us partake in a game which I didn’t take part because I’m not so good at hand and eye coordination. The two dancers, Rin and Cha-Cha have such beautiful kimonos made out of silk!

      

   

Japan has the most beautiful array of man-hole covers I ever did see! Each city/prefecture has its own design! Osaka (with its castle), Hakone with its natural rocks, Nara (with its deers), Kawaguchiko with its bridge, lakeview of Mt. Fuji. I’m not sure of the first man hole cover….maybe it’s Osaka too?

 

  

   

  

Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto – probably one of my favorite shrine in all of Japan (to date, lol). Thousands of red torii gate line the stone step paths leading to the unsuspecting summit! Busy in some parts, but as you get closer to the top it becomes almost hauntingly peaceful. My little brother writing a prayer for his husband on the wooden plaque. If you zoom in, it’s definitely possible to see it. So sweet! 🙂 Love them both very much. I have no doubt his prayer will be answered because they both journeyed a thousand steps, Kasey, even more because he got lost, lol! Or did he? Or was he meant to take that path, path of self-discovery?

First wooden pagoda I’ve seen and this was taken near Nara Park.

  

 

Bamboo Grove of Arashiyama was nearly empty at 6:30 in the morning. It was nice to walk along the deserted path as majestic bamboos tower up above. The crisp morning air and lush green forest transports you to another world. Peaceful temple along the trail leading to the bamboo grove. I am fascinated by their “rain gutter” which consist of these “plastic bell shape” mechanism. It looks very ornamental visually as well as producing a lovely sound when it catches rainwater. I also got a fresh steam pork bun at a vendor near the end of the trail, so yum! 

 

 

Immersive art exhibit of Team Labs: floating orchid garden, brilliant color changing icicles, and many more tactile immersion!

At the hidden pirate fort on the island of Tomogashima. My little brother and I almost didn’t make it up there because we only had 20 minutes before we have to head back to the dock before the last ferry leaves us! But as the picture above document; we made it! Very elaborate and dark!

 

     

Pink kochia fields overlooking Lake Kawaguchiko where we stayed and biked along the lake, town, and attempts at Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough electric bike for 2 people in our group so we only bike 2 km before we turned back, lol. While biking back we came across a thrift store where I was lucky enough to find some handmade ceramic cups and plates! I only got them for less than $2 apiece and it’s more special because it’s secondhand! We had lunch at this sweet place near our hotel, overlooking the lake and Mt. Fuji. I got fried chicken and fries and it was delicious! They had throw blankets and seat cushions out for us to use!

 

Location goofiness at Harry Potter’s Studio!

We got the 7 day Japan Rail Pass before leaving the states and before the price increase which made train travel much more cost-effective and convenient! I would highly recommend going that route especially if you plan to visit multiple prefectures, like we did!  We went to Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone, Fujikawaguchiko, a town around Lake Kawaguchiko, as well as abandoned fort on Tomogashima Island, Nara Park and Sagamihara for the array of vending machines. For Hakone we got the 2 day “free pass” which allows you to go on the funicular, trains, and pirate ship unlimited times.

I had so many memorable moments/experiences on this trip that I feel overwhelmed to recount it, lol. Alas, it will just have to live in my memory as well as photos. As I mentioned, I’ve been to Japan before so I already know firsthand how crowded the subway trains get so I was prepared for it. For others in my group, it did not fare well for them. I think I have a higher threshold for “discomfort” and can handle most weather and living conditions that otherwise might make other people uneasy. I find a compatible traveling companion in Emro, Kasey’s younger sister. We are both alike in that we are flexible. We are okay with relaxing and do nothing but also up to do anything and everything! We like to turn negativity into positivity that it may sometimes irks certain people, but oh well, that’s who we are! All in all, I had such an amazing time in Japan with my family, each one playing a part in making fun memories for years to come! I’m gonna miss the delicious ramen I had! And the snacks/meals I had on the train as we watched the outside world zoom by! Our daily trip to the supermarkets for our breakfast and snacks, and sometimes even dinner when we get in late. Us jumping in trains and out. Or the time we left Kasey at one train stop. Or all of us separating at another train station but somehow found our way back in the chaos with only 4 minutes to spare! Japan is so memorable…aahhh…til we meet again!